Our storied History
Chicago Watchmaking Since 1922
For over 100 years, our family has assembled watches in the heart of Chicago.
Now in our fourth generation, Hampden carries forward an unbroken tradition â crafting meaningful timepieces that honor the past, present, and future.
Swiss Craft. Chicago Soul. Your Story.
Swiss Craft. Chicago Soul. Your Story.
Hampden is an independent, family-owned watch company rooted in Chicago and powered by personalization. We design timepieces that donât just tell time, they tell stories.
Our signature approach to engraving transforms each caseback into a design canvas. With the support of our in-house Design Concierge, customers can create uniquely personal engravings â from sketches and handwritten notes to milestone messages â turning every Hampden into a wearable memory.
This is more than engraving â itâs your story, made permanent.
Four Generations of Family Watchmaking â and a Name Reborn
Four Generations of Family Watchmaking â and a Name Reborn
For over a century, our family has been crafting watches in Chicago, making Hampden the oldest family-run watch company still in continuous operation in America.
In 1922, our great-grandfather Hyman Wein founded the Clinton Watch Company in Chicago. He was one of five brothers and a brother-in-law who each started watch businesses. Two of those companies are still running today: Hampden Watch in Chicago and Marathon Watch in Canada, the countryâs oldest watch company.
Along the way, our family also founded the Wolbrook and Douglas brands, and later operated Benrus for nearly two decades â deepening our roots in American watchmaking.
In 1958, our family became the official steward of the Hampden name, preserving not just a brand but a legacy of American horology that now spans nearly 150 years.
WE NEVER STOPPED MAKING WATCHES. HAMPDEN HAS BEEN IN CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION SINCE 1922 â PROUDLY STANDING AS AMERICAâS OLDEST FAMILY-RUN WATCH COMPANY.
A STORY PASSED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
A STORY PASSED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
Joe Wein, a trained engineer and U.S. Army veteran, joined the business with his father Irving in 1985. As CEO since 2002, he has guided Hampden into the 21st century by streamlining operations, securing patents, and laying the groundwork for a new era of innovation.
In 2023, Daniel Wein joined the business alongside Joe, becoming the fourth generation in our century-old watchmaking lineage. The moment was marked by a watchâengraved with four generations of names. That inscription became the vision for Hampdenâs relaunch.
In 2025, we opened the doors to our longtime West Loop headquarters to celebrate our relaunch with family, collectors, and longtime employees. That gathering marked Hampdenâs next chapter: one focused on personalization, meaning, and memory.
A Legacy Older Than Flight
A Legacy Older Than Flight
In 1903, a Hampden pocket watch flew into history when Orville Wright carried it during the worldâs first powered flight at Kitty Hawk.
The original Hampden Watch Company, founded in 1877 in Springfield, Massachusetts, was known for precision American timekeeping, trusted by railroad conductors, entrepreneurs, and early pioneers. While the company ceased U.S. operations in 1927, its spirit lives on through our familyâs revival of the Hampden name and design details that honor the golden age of American watchmaking.
That very watch is now on permanent display at the Smithsonianâs National Air and Space Museum in the Wright Brothers exhibition, a testament to Hampdenâs place in American ingenuity.
All Watches Tell Time. Hampden Watches Tell Stories.â˘
Innovation in Personalized Watchmaking: The CasecapÂŽ System
Innovation in Personalized Watchmaking: The CasecapÂŽ System
At the heart of each Hampden Model 1, our flagship Swiss automatic, is the patented casecapÂŽ systemâa world-first innovation that makes every timepiece uniquely personal.
With a simple and satisfying twist, you can swap between a sapphire exhibition caseback or a deeply engraved caseback, allowing your timepiece to reflect your story, your milestone, or your message.
All Hampden watches feature Swiss mechanical or quartz movements, and are built to be worn, gifted, and remembered as heirloom timepieces.
Four Generations
The fourth hand
Welcome to The Fourth Hand, the official Hampden Watch journal. Named for the fourth generation of our family business, this is where our watches meet your stories. From personalized heirlooms and family keepsakes to design inspiration and behind-the-scenes craft, explore how Hampden turns moments into custom engraved timepiecesârooted in a century of watchmaking.
